Madonnas During The Renaissance

The fourteenth century was a time for cultural evolution in Europe. This evolution that was initiated first in Italy was called, Rinascimento, later became known as the Renaissance. It was a time which began after the Middle Ages and was accompanied by both the Reformation and Humanism. The Renaissance lead to a return to the classical arts of Roman and Greek Antiquity. The Catholic Church had remained a major patron of the arts during the Renaissance. Works of art were commissioned by the civil government, courts, and wealthy individuals as well as various religious organizations, including monasteries, churches and other religious figures. The subject of the Mother and Child, the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, is one of the most familiar Christian images and one of the oldest (Goffen …show more content…
It was during the Renaissance where this theme became common. Mary, also known as Madonna, and Jesus were portrayed in hundreds of paintings and sculptures during the Renaissance time. While not all Madonnas look alike, most “Italian” Madonnas are emotionally alike in the way they are portrayed, often seeming either pensive or joyous (35). The artist depicts the two types of female archetypes of the virgin and mother, which are combined in the person known as Madonna (35). Other figures commonly showed in the art of the time was the apostles and on occasion an angel from the Bible, such as Raphael. At the time of the Renaissance, artists worked in guilds and only on commission and the idea of creating “art for art’s sake” came much later. A majority of these paintings, sculptures, and murals were made to be seen in churches and chapels. Christian iconography was prevalent during this time because most of the work was done for the Papacy, who wanted masterworks of art in their homes. The Italians were not the only group to become well known painting during the Renaissance, and this movement eventually traveled to